Calibrachoa plant named ‘Duehulcher’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duehulcher’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright and outwardly spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored centers and dark brown-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEHULCHER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Duehulcher’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Calibrachoa plants with largeattractive flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2011 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-019-0302, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofCalibrachoa sp. identified as code number A10-2531-001, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince June, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duehulcher’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duehulcher’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright and outwardly spreading to trailing and        decumbent plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large red purple-colored flowers with dark red purple-colored        centers and dark brown-colored venation.    -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe female parent selection in flower color as plants of the femaleparent selection have coral-colored flowers. In addition, plants of thenew Calibrachoa have larger flowers than plants of the female parentselection.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the newCalibrachoa are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa have smaller flowers thanplants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of Calibrachoasp. ‘SAKCAL104’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,485. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differedprimarily from plants of ‘SAKCAL104’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were larger and more vigorous        than plants of ‘SAKCAL104’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely branching than        plants of ‘SAKCAL104’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘SAKCAL104’.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had larger flowers than plants        of ‘SAKCAL104’.    -   5. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘SAKCAL104’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘SAKCAL104’ had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plantof ‘Duehulcher’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 30-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched onetime three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duehulcher’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number F-019-0302, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number A10-2531-001, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and outwardly            spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely            branching habit with about ten primary lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances branching; vigorous            growth habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 29 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 100 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 39 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing            and decumbent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A; venation,            close to 139C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A; venation, close to 138C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 139C. Color, lower surface: Close to 138C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 250 to 270 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright or outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about four            to five weeks after planting; plants flower continuously            from the spring throughout the summer in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.9 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 6.4 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 1.4 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Color: Close to 2C and 71A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 3.9 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Mostly rounded to slightly            retuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 68A;            towards the base, close to 59A; venation, close to 200A;            main color becoming closer to 77A with development. Petal,            when opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 62B;            venation, close to 200A. Throat: Close to 12A; venation,            close to 200A. Tube: Close to 2B; venation, close to 200A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal            width: About 2.4 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Color, lower surface: Close to 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower.            Filament length: About 7.4 mm. Filament color: Close to 8B.            Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1.2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 8B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 5A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 8.4 mm. Style length: About 7.8 mm.            Style color: Close to 134C. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal.            Stigma color: Close to 142B. Ovary color: Close to 149B.            Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named‘Duehulcher’ as illustrated and described.